Peters



cuirs STATES PAENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. WIMLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JNO. M.WIMLEY AND W. H. PENROSE, OF SAME PLAGE.

MODE 0F ATTACI-IING COMPOSITION SOLES T0 BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specication of Letters Patent 1\T o. 14,216, dated February 5, 1856.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. WIMLEY, of the city of Philadelphia andState of Penn- Sylvania, have invented a new and Improved Mode ofConstructing and Attaching Composition Soles to Boots and Shoes; and Ido hereby declare t-hat the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to theletters of reference marke-d thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in a peculiar mode of attaching acomposition of gutta-percha in making heavy boots and shoes so as toform the soles thereof without sewing.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l, is a perspective view of acast-iron mold in which the sole is formed; Fig. 2, a like view of ashoe as prepared upon the last for the reception of the sole; Fig. 3, alike view of the shoe upon the mold; Fig. 4, a like view of a cast ironheel which may be applied when required; and Fig. 5, a sectional sideview of one of the iron staples inserted through the upper and insolefor securing the outer sole to the boot or shoe.

Like letters indicate the same parts in the different figures.

The mold (A) consists of cast iron formed so as to produce a sole ashereinafter described and is divided longitudinally into two parts whichare hinged together at the heel and so as to be readily opened orclosed., as occasion may require. The shoe or boot is lasted in theusual manner; the upper (B) being held down upon the insole (C) by meansof temporary tacks in the usual manner, preparatory to the insertion ofthe staples (D, D,), by means of which the composition sole ispermanently secured thereto. The staples (D) are formed of wire, the twoends being bent down at right angles and driven through the upper andinsole 7 (as shown in Fig. 2) so as to clench on the inner side of theinsole (as shown in Fig. 5) by coming in contact with the last, which,at this part must be made of or covered with metal. In order to causethe ends of the staples to clench more readily, I usually reduce them toa flat edge with the hammer before driving them into t-he leather. Inthe operation of driving the staples, I use a flat piece of hard wood ormetal which is about a sixteenth of an inch thick and about half an inchwide. After the staple is entered, I place this tool between it and theupper, and then drive the staple down upon it, so that the ends of thestaple become clenched, or bent up aga-inst the inner side of the insoleby the resisting last, and the tool being then withdrawn, there isnecessarily a space left between the upper and the staple. The staples(D, D,) being thus inserted around near the outer edge of the boot orshoe, as shown in Fig. 2, it is ready for receiving the compositionsole. I make the composition for this purpose chiefly of gutta-percha.

The boot or shoe being ready for the outer sole, as before described, Iput enough of the composition to form the said sole, into warm water,which prevents its sticking to the hands in forming and molding. I nowform it into near the required shape With the hands, and if a very hardand durable sole is required, I also insert numerous metal plugs orshort stub nails into t-he underside. I then place it in the mold (A)and immediately press the boot or shoe down upon it and hold the latterthus for a few minutes, when., the composition having become hard orset, the mold may be opened and the boot or shoe taken out. The solebeing thus perfectly formed is permanently held also to the same bymeans of the staples D, D. I now blacken and varnish it in the usualmanner, and it is ready for use. When an iron heel is required, Iconstruct it of malleable cast iron in the form shown in Fig. 4, andplace it in the mold before putting therein the composition. I thenproceed as before described. The cast-iron heel being rough on the innerside, or having small projections therein, adheres firmly to thecomposition, and thus an exceedingly durable and substantial heavy heelis produced. In lighter boots and shoes I make the heels wholly of thecomposition, and also dispense with the metal plugs in the bottoms ofthe soles. I sometimes use flat headed nails instead of the staples (D,1),) for the purpose of holding on the soles, but prefer the staples. ItWill be evident that shoes or boots having soles of this composition andattached in the manner described, must be very durable and impervious toWater, and also that they can be made very rapidly, and thereforecheaply, as the cost of the materials does not exceed that of soleleather.

I do not claim the mold; nor do I confine my claim to any particularform of the purpose of attaching composition soles to 20 boots andshoes.

JOHN M. WIMLEY.

Witnesses:

BEN. MonisoN, E. B. WARREN'.

